Welcome back to school! As someone who also returned after a long break, I can definitely relate to your concerns. Everyone here has given you excellent advice - definitely stick with your original FSA ID! I wanted to add one thing that helped me when I returned after 3 years: make sure to check your NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System) account as well to review any existing loans and their status. It's good to know exactly where you stand financially before starting your new FAFSA. Also, don't forget that as a returning student, you might be eligible for different types of aid than you were before - especially if your life circumstances have changed significantly. Your school's financial aid office will be your best resource for navigating any unique situations. Good luck with everything - returning to finish your degree takes courage and you should be proud of taking this step!

I'm another returning student who went through this exact same dilemma! Took a 3-year break and was so worried about my old FSA ID having problems. But everyone here is absolutely right - stick with your original account! When I logged back in, the system walked me through updating everything that had changed step by step. It was actually really smooth. The one thing I wish someone had told me was to gather all my updated documents first (new address info, current employer details, etc.) before logging in so I could update everything at once. Also, if you're like me and completely blanked on your security questions, the identity verification process they have now is pretty straightforward - just be patient with it. Congrats on going back to finish your degree - it's such an exciting (and slightly terrifying) step, but you're making the right choice!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Just finished my FAFSA and realized I might have mixed up some digits from my parents' 1099 forms. It's so nerve-wracking to submit something when you're not 100% confident. Reading everyone's advice here has been incredibly helpful - especially the screenshots tip and the reminder about using 2023 tax info. I think I'm going to go back into edit mode and carefully review everything with the tax documents open in another tab like Liam suggested. The peace of mind will be worth the extra time, especially knowing how messy verification can get if there are errors. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's comforting to know we're all dealing with the same FAFSA frustrations!

I just went through this exact same panic yesterday! The lack of a simple review feature is honestly one of the worst parts of the FAFSA system. I ended up going back into edit mode THREE times because I kept second-guessing myself on different numbers. Here's what I learned: when you go back to edit, write down or screenshot EVERY page as you go through it again (wish I'd seen Carmen's advice earlier!). Also, keep your parents' tax documents open in a separate browser tab so you can cross-reference everything in real time. It's tedious but SO much better than dealing with verification issues later. The good news is that going back to edit won't mess up your progress - just be super careful not to accidentally submit until you're absolutely sure everything is correct. You've got this!

I just want to echo everyone's reassurance here - I helped my nephew with this exact change just two weeks ago and it went completely smoothly! Reading through all these responses, the consensus is clear: the process is much more stable now than those old horror stories suggest. One small addition to all the great advice already shared: after you make the changes and get your confirmation email, I'd recommend logging back in after 24-48 hours just to double-check that everything still looks correct. Not because anything will go wrong, but just for that extra peace of mind. Also, if your daughter is anything like my nephew, she might be worried about "messing something up" - remind her that thousands of students make these kinds of corrections every day without issues. The FAFSA system is designed to handle these changes. You're being so smart by asking for advice first and planning this out carefully. With all the detailed step-by-step guidance from everyone here, you're absolutely going to handle this successfully. Take a deep breath - you've got this!

I just went through this exact process with my son last week, so I completely understand your anxiety! All the advice here is spot-on, but I wanted to add one more reassuring data point. The "horror stories" you're reading about are mostly from several years ago when the system was much less stable. The current FAFSA platform handles corrections really well, and the school list changes are actually one of the most common corrections students make. Here's what gave me confidence: I called the Federal Student Aid helpline first (early morning seems to be the best time to get through) and they walked me through exactly what to expect. The representative told me that school list corrections have a 99%+ success rate when done through the proper "Make FAFSA Corrections" pathway. We followed the same approach everyone's recommending - added the new school first since we weren't at the limit, then removed the old one. The whole thing took maybe 12 minutes, and we got our confirmation within 3 hours. One final tip that helped my peace of mind: before starting, I bookmarked the exact page where we'd make the correction so there was no chance of accidentally clicking on "new application" instead. Your daughter's hard work is completely safe - you're just updating the recipient list, not the application itself. You've got this!

Hi Mason! I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I literally just finished my FAFSA last week and had this exact same confusion! The tax schedule questions are honestly so intimidating when you're doing this for the first time. From everything I've learned (and from all the great advice in this thread), those schedules are really just for families with more complex tax situations. Since your dad confirmed they only had W-2 income and took the standard deduction, you're absolutely safe entering $0 for all those schedule fields. What helped me get over my anxiety about this was realizing that the FAFSA has to ask about every possible type of income to be comprehensive, but that doesn't mean every family will have something to report for each category. Most families with straightforward jobs and standard deductions won't need these additional schedules at all. You're being so smart by asking these questions and double-checking with your parents instead of just guessing. That's exactly the right approach! Don't stress too much - it sounds like you've got everything you need to complete your FAFSA successfully. Good luck with your application!

Hey Mason! I'm new to this community but wanted to jump in because I just went through this exact same process a few months ago and totally understand your confusion! The tax schedule questions on the FAFSA are definitely one of the most intimidating parts for first-time filers. From reading through this thread, it sounds like you've gotten some really solid advice and confirmation from your dad that your family only had W-2 income and took the standard deduction. That means you're absolutely correct to enter $0 for all those schedule fields (A, B, D, E, and H). What really helped me when I was in your shoes was understanding that these schedules are essentially "bonus forms" that only get filed when families have specific types of income or deductions that go beyond the basics. Think of it this way - if your parents' taxes were simple enough that they could file them without needing an accountant or dealing with complex investments, rental properties, or business income, then they probably didn't need any of these additional schedules. You're being incredibly responsible by asking questions and double-checking everything instead of just guessing. That's exactly the approach that will set you up for success with your FAFSA! Don't worry about your financial aid chances - accuracy is what matters most, not having a complicated financial situation. You've got this!

As someone brand new to this community and currently drowning in FAFSA confusion with a trust situation, I can't express how grateful I am for this entire discussion! I'm dealing with almost the identical scenario - irrevocable trust established by grandparents, my daughter is the beneficiary, trustee approval required for all distributions including education. I've been going in circles trying to understand the official FAFSA guidance, but reading everyone's real-world experiences here has finally given me clarity. The consistent pattern I'm seeing is that the critical factors are: 1) Student has no legal ownership/control, 2) Trustee approval required for ALL distributions, and 3) Proper legal documentation is absolutely essential for verification. Based on all the success stories shared here, especially @Jason Brewer's detailed verification experience and @Jamal Brown's positive outcome, I'm definitely going to get that attorney letter proactively. The $400 cost that multiple people mentioned seems like such a small investment compared to potentially losing thousands in aid eligibility or dealing with verification nightmares later. This community has provided more practical, actionable guidance in one thread than I found in hours of searching official resources. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their real experiences - it's made navigating this complex situation feel so much more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm so grateful to have found this thread! I'm dealing with a very similar trust situation for my daughter's FAFSA and was completely lost until reading everyone's experiences here. What strikes me most is how consistent the advice has been from those who've actually gone through this process. The key seems to be distinguishing between legal ownership and beneficiary status - if the student has zero control and the trustee must approve ALL distributions (even educational ones), there's a strong case for not reporting it as a student asset. I'm definitely taking the advice to get that attorney letter proactively. After seeing @Jason Brewer's verification experience and @Jamal Brown's success story, the $400 investment seems like a no-brainer compared to risking thousands in aid eligibility or scrambling during verification. This community has provided clearer guidance in one thread than I found anywhere in the official FAFSA materials. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's given me confidence that this complicated situation can be handled properly with the right preparation and documentation!